About 57 percent of the 600 likely voters said they support legalization compared with 37 percent who were opposed, according to the Glengariff Group poll provided to The Detroit News and WDIV.(Photo: Ricardo Arduengo / AP file)

Lansing — A majority of Michigan voters support the legalization of recreational marijuana, according to a new poll showing that support is far stronger among residents who have personally used the drug.

About 57 percent of the 600 likely voters said they support legalization compared with 37 percent who were opposed, according to the Glengariff Group poll provided to The Detroit News and WDIV.

Prior use of marijuana tended to result in more support for legalization. Of those who had previously tried marijuana, 73 percent said they supported legalization, while 41 percent backed legalization even though they said they never had tried the drug.

The poll, which had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points, found that 48 percent said they had tried marijuana, while 49 percent said they hadn’t.

The poll seems to reflect the national trend of increasing support for marijuana legalization, according to the Pew Research Center, which reported in January that 61 percent of Americans now support legalization compared with 31 percent in 2000.

An overwhelming majority of 78 percent said the state should decide the marijuana legalization issue, while 17 percent said the federal government should.

The poll comes after a group seeking to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes in Michigan — the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol — turned in 360,000 signatures in support of the petition to the Secretary of State’s Office. They are hoping it qualifies for the November ballot.

“Public support has been increasing in Michigan and across the country for more sensible marijuana